Saturday, October 3, 2015

Taxi fares in Taipei going up

For the first time in several years, taxi fares in Taipei, New Taipei City and Keelung are going up. In theory, all taxis should have started charging the higher rates on October 1, but because the majority haven't yet been able to adjust their meters, many are still using the old formula. Some, it seems, are using unadjusted meters then referring to a printed price list to calculate the right fare. If you're taking lots of taxis around the capital, be prepared for drivers who ask for a bit more than what's shown on the meter, and expect some confusion.Here's the mathematics if you want to work it out for yourself: There's no change to the basic NTD70 charge for the first 250m, but from now on NTD5 will be added for every 200m, not 250m as before. When the taxi is stationery (at red lights or during a traffic jam), NTD5 will be charged per 80 seconds, instead of 100 seconds. According to media reports, typical journeys will be about 14% more expensive. Given that Taipei's public transport is pretty good, it is ever worth taking a taxi? It depends where you're going. If you're heading to the National Revolutionary Martyrs Shrine, for instance, a taxi ride from Yuanshan MRT Station will certainly save you some time. But for many other destinations, the MRT is likely to be just as quick. If there's three or four of you, a taxi may still work out cheaper than taking the MRT.It's unclear whether certain set fares to more remote spots - such as from Wulai's bus stop to the village of Fushan - will also rise.